Reuters quoted Teck Resources as saying that there have been no interruptions to its production or sales if indium, contradicting talk in the European market that the company had run out of the metal used in making liquid crystal displays.

Ms Catherine Hart spokeswoman of Teck said that "Our production and sales are normal." Ms Hart said that the company does not disclose its annual indium production.

Traders said that Hunan one of the China's top indium producers has shut down almost all of its crude indium production this month due to an environmental investigation at its smelters. That helped drive weekly Indium prices up by 10% to 2,950 to CNY 3,100 per tonne in Shanghai.

Meanwhile, European traders said that there were concerns the company had run out of the metal.

Vancouver, British Columbia based Teck is one of the world's top producers of the metal which is a byproduct of the zinc smelting process and is used to make liquid crystal displays.

Teck reduced zinc metal output by 20% in 2008 due to plunging demand but plans to restore production in September. The company's main products are copper, zinc and metallurgical coal, which is used in the steelmaking process.

(Sourced from Reuters)